Detrimental Effects of an Electronic Spillage
RUNNING HEAD: Electronic Spillage can be detrimental!
Electronic Spillage
Regina Jones
Professor Scott Bell
Strayer University
Electronic Spillage is defined by the United States (US) Government, as information of higher classification or restrictive in nature such as personal identifiable information that is accidentally or intentionally placed on a network of a lower classification. An Electronic Spillage is something that every computer user must be aware of and know the consequences if they are every faced with this issue. Most people think that it is a simple fix to clean-up an electronic spillage, but those that live in the cyber world of warfare within information systems knows that it is much more complicated than deleting a file from a hard drive, especially if a network is involved, not just a stand-alone, and usually the network is always the case. To execute disposal of classified or personal identifiable information from stored media, whether it is magnetic, files, exchange servers and/or hard-drives from desktops or laptops, it can be very intrusive to a network. It could cost thousands of dollars for a complete clean-up depending on the size of the network. This is why most companies and especially the Military go to great lengths to protect their information systems and networks. Usually outside sources are hired for a minimal fee which could end at a huge cost to conduct the clean-up process. The cost could range from five (5) to fifteen (15) thousand dollars in most cases. Mind blowing isn’t it! But it is true. According to a Wharton-Aerospace Defense (Jan, 2009) report, the Navy pays about five (5) million dollars a year, at eleven thousand eight hundred ($11,800) dollars per spillage to a Texas-based technology service provider to wipe out any traces of classified digital information that wound up on unsecured laptops and other computers. Some would argue that this is overkill claiming that it could be
Electronic Spillage
Regina Jones
Professor Scott Bell
Strayer University
Electronic Spillage is defined by the United States (US) Government, as information of higher classification or restrictive in nature such as personal identifiable information that is accidentally or intentionally placed on a network of a lower classification. An Electronic Spillage is something that every computer user must be aware of and know the consequences if they are every faced with this issue. Most people think that it is a simple fix to clean-up an electronic spillage, but those that live in the cyber world of warfare within information systems knows that it is much more complicated than deleting a file from a hard drive, especially if a network is involved, not just a stand-alone, and usually the network is always the case. To execute disposal of classified or personal identifiable information from stored media, whether it is magnetic, files, exchange servers and/or hard-drives from desktops or laptops, it can be very intrusive to a network. It could cost thousands of dollars for a complete clean-up depending on the size of the network. This is why most companies and especially the Military go to great lengths to protect their information systems and networks. Usually outside sources are hired for a minimal fee which could end at a huge cost to conduct the clean-up process. The cost could range from five (5) to fifteen (15) thousand dollars in most cases. Mind blowing isn’t it! But it is true. According to a Wharton-Aerospace Defense (Jan, 2009) report, the Navy pays about five (5) million dollars a year, at eleven thousand eight hundred ($11,800) dollars per spillage to a Texas-based technology service provider to wipe out any traces of classified digital information that wound up on unsecured laptops and other computers. Some would argue that this is overkill claiming that it could be
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